The software is pre-installed on all the laptops. If you'd like it on your classroom computers, ask Leon very, very nicely and he can do it for you. You probably have it on your computer at home already too, so have a look and play around with it.
It is incredibly simple to use!
1. Open up the software and choose "Begin a new story," then click on "next."
2. Click on "Import Pictures" and find the photos/pictures you want to use on your computer.
3. Choose as many as you want, by holding down "Ctrl" and clicking on them.
4. Click on "OK."
5. The pictures will now be in the bottom section of your Photo Story window. You can drag them into the order you want them to appear.
6. When you're happy with the order, click on "next."
7. You now have the opportunity to add text to each slide. Click on each picture and type in the box that looks like this:
8. When you are happy with the text you've added, click on "next."
9. This is where you add voice recordings. Click on the photos you want to add narration to and then click on the red button and talk. To stop recording, click on the square button next to it. If you want to start that voice clip over again, click on the arrow button.
10. You can now add background music if you want to (beware of copyright issues though). If you don't want music, just click on "next."
11. Click on the "Preview" button at any time to have your story play for you, to see how it looks and sounds.
12. The next page is called "Save your Story." Choose "Save your story for playback on the computer" then click the "browse" button to choose where you want to save it (the default will probably be your video folder).
13. Click on "Next" and your story will be built.
14. Choose "View your story" to see the final product. It will now be saved to your computer.
*IMPORTANT*
15. You should ALSO click on "Save Project" as this will save the project to your computer where you can open it and re-edit it, if necessary. You cannot edit the finished product, so if there is any chance you'll want to change something at a later date (eg. fix an previously-unseen spelling mistake, or polish up the narration, etc) then make sure you "Save Project."
Photo Story
Microsoft Photo Story is a fantastic non-internet hosted tool that can be used for presenting pictures/photos along with an audio narrative.Go here to see an example of one.
The software is pre-installed on all the laptops. If you'd like it on your classroom computers, ask Leon very, very nicely and he can do it for you. You probably have it on your computer at home already too, so have a look and play around with it.
It is incredibly simple to use!
1. Open up the software and choose "Begin a new story," then click on "next."
2. Click on "Import Pictures" and find the photos/pictures you want to use on your computer.
3. Choose as many as you want, by holding down "Ctrl" and clicking on them.
4. Click on "OK."
5. The pictures will now be in the bottom section of your Photo Story window. You can drag them into the order you want them to appear.
6. When you're happy with the order, click on "next."
7. You now have the opportunity to add text to each slide. Click on each picture and type in the box that looks like this:
8. When you are happy with the text you've added, click on "next."
9. This is where you add voice recordings. Click on the photos you want to add narration to and then click on the red button and talk. To stop recording, click on the square button next to it. If you want to start that voice clip over again, click on the arrow button.
10. You can now add background music if you want to (beware of copyright issues though). If you don't want music, just click on "next."
11. Click on the "Preview" button at any time to have your story play for you, to see how it looks and sounds.
12. The next page is called "Save your Story." Choose "Save your story for playback on the computer" then click the "browse" button to choose where you want to save it (the default will probably be your video folder).
13. Click on "Next" and your story will be built.
14. Choose "View your story" to see the final product. It will now be saved to your computer.
*IMPORTANT*
15. You should ALSO click on "Save Project" as this will save the project to your computer where you can open it and re-edit it, if necessary. You cannot edit the finished product, so if there is any chance you'll want to change something at a later date (eg. fix an previously-unseen spelling mistake, or polish up the narration, etc) then make sure you "Save Project."